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"Set your goals high and don't stop until you get there" - Bo Jackson

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Good time management allows you to accomplish more in a shorter period of time, which leads to more free time, which lets you take advantage of learning opportunities, lowers your stress, and helps you focus, which leads to more career success.Oct 15, 2015

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How to balance your college course load and homework (and still have a life).

1. College is like juggling. ...

2. Block your courses. ...

3. 2. Make a plan. ...

4. Rule of Thumb: 1 hour of lecture time = 2 hours of study time. ...

5. Aim to make all the classes. ...

6. Determine whether you're an owl or a rooster. ...

7. Extra Pointer. ...

8. Keep a log.

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At one point in college, I worked three jobs on top of taking a full course load.

Somehow, despite working around 60 hours a week outside of school, I managed to get two A's and one B.

There are many students who, like me, juggle tons of responsibilities and stress. And we're able to do it because we have one thing in common: strong time-management skills.

But even if you aren't trying to balance multiple jobs on top of classes, staying afloat during the school year can be difficult. Between extracurriculars, studying and still trying to maintain a social life, at some point you might feel like everything is starting to pile up.

If you need a breath of fresh air, here's a crash course on time management for college students. Hopefully, these tips will help you succeed and get the most value out of college.

1. Write Everything Down

When you feel like you have a million things to do, forgetting to complete a task is bound to happen. But in college, an oversight can deliver a crucial blow to your grades during the semester.

According to a study in Psychological Science, using pen and paper to write things down, instead of taking notes on a laptop, helps boost memory retention.

Study subjects listened to lectures and took notes using their normal note-taking methods. Researchers found that students who took longhand notes performed better when they were tested on the materials.

The reason: Students who used laptops frequently transcribed information word for word, whereas the students who took notes using pen and paper summarized the material and paraphrased it. The difference is that the latter strategy led to deeper processing. Students typing notes were often mindlessly transcribing the information but often without being aware of what they were typing.

The lesson on time management for college students: Write down everything you need to do and when it needs to be done. Important dates and to-dos will stick in your mind better. You'll be less likely to miss deadlines or exams as a result.

Consider using a planner. While it may be more convenient to set up reminders in your Google calendar or alerts in your reminders app, it's easy to forget about them until they pop up on your screen.

You don't have to go out and blow a bunch of money on a planner, either. Here's how to make your own instead. It's cheaper!

2. Prioritize

I like to make a to-do list at the start of every day. I put the most pressing items at the top.
By prioritizing, I'm able to see exactly what needs to be done that day and what can wait until tomorrow if I don't get to it.
At the end of the day, I move whatever didn't get completed to the top of tomorrow's to-do list. That way, I stay right on track!

3. Differentiate Between Academic and Personal Time

Knowing when you need to get down to business and when you need (yes, need!) to have some fun will give your routine balance.

To avoid constantly feeling like you're a slave to the books, be sure to fully engage in fun time when you've planned it.

For example, I recently took a spontaneous trip to Savannah, Georgia, with a few co-workers. Unexpected, yes, but I made sure to finish my homework ahead of time so I could fully relax once we got there. You gotta do what you gotta do!

On the other hand, don't scroll through Facebook while you're sitting in the library. FOMO (fear of missing out) is real, but you can avoid it when you manage your time. Get your studying done when it's needed, and you'll be able to join in on the fun afterward.

4. Balance School and Work

If you're like me and have to financially support yourself while you're in school, you probably have a part-time or full-time job. And yes, that means when you're not at school, you're probably at work. How the heck are you supposed to find time to study?

Well, the best advice I can give is to organize your schedule so you're off work at least two days a week. If you think you can't make this happen, pick up an extra shift during one of your already scheduled days. Do anything you can to make sure you have at least two days off.

Be as productive as possible during those two off days. Get homework assignments done. Get caught up on your reading. Make up for any breaks you take. You can't slack on these days off - it's too difficult to recover from them.

As much as we want to believe that we can do it all, the reality is we can't. At some point, something's gotta give. Considering that college is an expensive investment, your schoolwork should always take priority.

5. Get Enough Sleep

You might have heard this before, but when you don't sleep enough, your brain doesn't function at its full potential.

According to a study published in the January 2013 issue of Child Development, students who got less sleep than usual reported more academic problems the next day than they did after they got their normal amount of sleep.

The reason? REM sleep enables your brain to sort through your thoughts and memories, organizing them so they are easy to access.

Without proper REM sleep, your brain gets cluttered. As a result, it's hard for you to focus and retain information when you need to, like while you're in class or studying.

Time management is about getting the most out of every single minute you dedicate to a task. Lacking good sleep could hinder that!

Going hand-in-hand with that, all-nighters are definitely not a good idea. By cramming all your studying into one night, you're less likely to retain all of it because your brain is in overdrive and it's tired.

To avoid this, break up your studying to focus on one specific section at a time. Once you're a week or so away from your exam, you should have gone over all of the material already. You can then dedicate that week to reviewing and pinpointing where you're struggling the most. Focusing on those specific pain points is a lot easier than trying to focus on all the material at once.

6. Be Flexible

One of the most important things I ever heard my boss say was that it's OK if you don't finish your to-do list.

Oftentimes, people exaggerate the amount of work they have to get done in their heads, which results in feeling overwhelmed and stressed.

Be OK with rearranging some things. A to-do list or schedule should be a guideline, not something you're forcing yourself to complete.

Remember, if your to-do list doesn't get finished by the end of the day, don't have a meltdown. Tomorrow is another chance to crush it!

7. Prioritize Extracurriculars

It's important to be involved on campus. It looks great on a resume, and involvement helps you network and build skills you can use in the workforce.

Knowing that, you may be tempted to get involved in multiple extracurriculars - a fraternity, the newspaper, an honor society and maybe even the knitting club - but it will get tough to keep up with all of them.

Pick a few that really spark your interest, and go for them. It's better to have a few you can focus your time and energy on than a bunch you don't really participate in. Do you really want to go to an interview and get asked, "So tell me about your experience in the American Marketing Association chapter at your school?" if you only went to two meetings because you got hung up at the movie club? Probably not. Prioritizing can help you build skills you can use in the long run.

8. Be Kind to Yourself

This very well could be the most important point on this list.

Remember to put yourself first during busy periods. That means if you're tired of studying at 2 a.m. and want to sleep, then sleep. If you want to take a 30-minute break and stare at the ceiling, by all means, do it.

Doing what you need to do will keep you focused and sane - just be sure to evaluate the consequences of those actions afterward and adjust your to-do list or schedule accordingly.

Doing things to keep you happy will result in a more positive attitude toward your workload, making the busyness much less painful throughout the semester!
Your Turn: How do you practice time management as a college student? Let us know in the Facebook comments! Kelly Smith is a junior writer and engagement specialist at The Penny Hoarder and a senior at The University of Tampa. She's really thankful she only has one job now.

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8 Smart Time Management Strategies for Insanely Busy College Students

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School, work, fun... How can you juggle it all as a college student? Here are some time management tips to make college life a little bit easier!

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What Makes a Successful Online Learner? | Minnesota State CAREERwise

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The many advantages of online learning include flexibility and convenience. But online learning is a lot more challenging than it may seem.

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Online students often juggle a full-time job and family obligations while working toward their degrees. It can become overwhelming very quickly, so having personalized support from university staff is critical. That's where a success coach comes in.

Many online colleges offer coaching programs as a way for students to feel connected to the larger institution and its resources. Arizona State University's ASU Online, for example, launched a dedicated student success center to connect students with a success coach who can support them in achieving their academic and personal goals.

The level of support and engagement varies from student to student. From offering time-management and study-habit tips to providing inspiration and encouragement, coaches are essential to helping a student get to the finish line.

Here are the most popular questions ASU Online's success coaches receive from online students who are working toward their degree.

What is your best advice for creating productive study habits? As an online student, it's crucial to build a schedule that incorporates schoolwork into everyday life and stick to it.

Setting aside a specific number of hours each week or even each day for school will keep students organized and on a consistent schedule.

Aside from creating a schedule, it's important to find a study environment that is free of distractions. Students must separate their personal life from their study space. For some, that means designating a room within their house, while for others it means going to the neighborhood coffee shop for a few hours.

Another study habit that works for many students is starting the week with a to-do list that accounts for all class deadlines and important events. Starting a week off with a task list can make all the difference when life gets busy.

How do you recommend I start the career planning process? Your degree is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to planning a career. The first step in determining your career path is identifying your interests and passions.

Whether you're looking to further a current career path or start from the ground up, doing the research and talking to others within your field of interest is a great place to start. Speaking with someone currently in the job can provide worthwhile perspective.

Additionally, it's important to take advantage of the tools and resources offered by career services. Your success coach is there to help connect you with the right people to address and support your career aspirations.

What are the most effective ways for me to communicate with my success coach? As an online student, it may feel difficult to build real connections with professors, peers and even your success coach when you're not meeting face-to-face. Speaking to your success coach over the phone is the best way for both the student and coach to get to know each other.

Some students may prefer to communicate via email or an online chat feature, but sometimes hearing a voice on the other end can be worthwhile. It's up to the student's preference, but it's important to remember that the success coach's job is to be a personal resource.

The takeaway: Part adviser, part motivator and supporter, success coaches are there to help students through each step. Earning a degree is hard work, but online students don't have to go it alone. The advice online students receive from success coaches is often the reason they make it to graduation day.

Ask 10 Questions About Student Services in Online Programs

1. What services are offered?

Programs vary in the specific services they provide online students. That's an important consideration for online students, who often can't interact with professors and advisers in person. Prospective students should check a school's website to see whether the offered services meet their needs.

"Online students are learning at a distance," Susan Aldridge, president of Drexel University Online, told U.S. News. "Student services make a difference in whether these students can be successful or not."

2. Is the quality comparable to on-campus services?

2. Is the quality comparable to on-campus services?

Though online students might be far from campus, the quality of student support should be similar - if not the same - to those offered on campus, experts say. The only difference is the mode of communication.

For instance, students at Arizona State University's online arm, ASU Online, can chat online in real time with career services advisers who might be able to answer their questions on topics such as finding a job.

3. When are these services available?

9. How do you communicate with librarians?

For online students, librarians are sometimes accessible through chat services, email and even text messaging, experts say. But prospective students should check whether that assistance is available at the times they need.

"That would be a major red flag, if they are only available maybe 40 hours per week," A. James Bothmer, university librarian at Creighton University, told U.S. News.

10. Are tutors available for online students?

10. Are tutors available for online students?

Many online programs offer free tutoring for students or recommend services such as Smarthinking. Whether these are available around the clock varies.

Renee Fuller, then a senior in the online MBA program at Ohio University, used the service InstaEDU - now Chegg Tutors - for her accounting class, she told U.S. News. The tool paired online and traditional students with tutors from reputable universities. "It was a pretty rapid response," she says.

More About Online Education

Tags: online education, students, education, Arizona State University

About Online Learning Lessons

Making the decision to pursue an online program can be intimidating for students. Online Learning Lessons offers tips and advice from online students and educators on everything from finding a program and paying for it to what happens after enrolling. Got a question? Email onlinelearninglessons@usnews.com.

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3 Tips for Online Students From Success Coaches

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Personalized support from university staff can help online students reach their academic and career goals. Success coaches can answer common questions like how to study effectively and how to find a job after earning an online degree. Read on for more tips that can help online students succeed.